Earlier this month, Singapore reached a new milestone in the fight against Covid-19, when more than 80% of the country’s population was fully vaccinated.
`We believe it is necessary to be more cautious to pause the plan and do our best to reduce the spread as much as possible,` Lawrence Wong, co-chair of Singapore’s Covid-19 task force, said in the final press conference.
Widespread vaccination is seen as the path to returning life to normal.
A street in Seoul, South Korea on July 9.
Success in containing major outbreaks in countries such as Japan, South Korea and Australia has helped them record low numbers of infections and deaths.
Currently, vaccine supply in many countries has improved.
Japan and New South Wales (NSW), Australia’s most populous state, recently announced roadmaps for easing restrictions as the proportion of the population fully vaccinated increases, while South Korean officials have increasingly talked about
The plan for a phased return to normal life by rich Asia-Pacific countries seems to contrast with the rapid reopening of the United States and is more similar to the approach of many European countries.
The US has recorded about 112,000 infections per million people, the UK 105,000 and Europe 82,000, according to Our World in Data.
The death rate in four Asian countries is only about 1/10 of the US or UK.
Scientists say fully vaccinated people have a lower risk of hospitalization and death from Covid-19 than unvaccinated people.
`If you open too early, you run the risk of things being disrupted,` said Alexandra Martiniuk, professor of epidemiology at the University of Sydney School of Public Health.
Singapore officials said they will pause the reopening plan for at least a few weeks to monitor epidemic trends and compare data with countries such as England or Israel, where infection rates increased sharply after relaxing restrictions.
Singapore has increased testing, but relaxed the requirement for F0 cases to be quarantined at medical facilities, aiming to allow mild cases of Covid-19 to be treated at home to reduce pressure on hospitals when the number of infected cases increases.
Japan’s reopening roadmap, expected to be tested next month, allows restaurants to stay open longer and serve alcohol, while baseball stadiums are also allowed to welcome more spectators.
But if cases increase, the public may become worried.
The Australian state of New South Wales also announced last week a `freedom roadmap`, in which many restrictions on fully vaccinated people will be eased early next week, after the population vaccination rate reaches 70%.
But officials said the reopening roadmap could change if major outbreaks occur.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison last month reaffirmed a gradual reopening strategy, in which restrictions will be eased when 70% of the population aged 16 and over is vaccinated.
The Doherty Institute, which researches epidemic models for the Australian government’s reopening plan, said that when observing the situation in countries that have lifted all restrictions, they realized there was no `day of freedom` as many people expected.
A Covid-19 testing point at a public housing area in Singapore on June 16.
In South Korea, where the majority of the 52 million people have received at least one shot and are expected to reach 70% with two shots next month, strict restrictions in the Seoul area remain extended.
`Even if we achieve a higher vaccination rate, the return to normal life will be delayed if preventive measures are not maintained,` South Korean Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said last week.
However, officials have allowed to increase the number of people allowed to gather in groups from 4 to 6, provided they are all vaccinated.
Yik-Ying Teo, dean of the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health in Singapore, said that with a cautious step-by-step reopening strategy, Asian countries will be able to control the outbreak and prevent mutations.
`Until all countries achieve high vaccination rates, the world will continue to need to maintain some safety measures such as wearing masks and social distancing,` he said.